


Cookies (Hearts & Roses)

by Clara_Watson



Series: Holiday Specials (Criminal Minds) [4]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: F/M, Tagging as I'm going, but 4 chapters over 4 Valentines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-13 05:00:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29396598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Clara_Watson/pseuds/Clara_Watson
Summary: ~Happy Valentines guys~ Love, your resident Single Grandma.Four Valentines with Aaron Hotchner. (A part of the Quiet Birds AU, I am so sorry)
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Female Reader
Series: Holiday Specials (Criminal Minds) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994764
Comments: 11
Kudos: 6





	1. Season 3

**Author's Note:**

> no exciting chapter titles this time, only what seasons they happen in.

“Roses and hearts,” Saskia says. 

She’s pulled up a stool to the counter, leaning over it to reach the icing as she separates the shapes onto different plates. You’re eternally grateful you made her put on old clothes and an apron. She’s still managed to get it all over her face and her hair, though.

“Roses here, hearts here,” Saskia repeats, somewhat angrily. You switch a couple on the plates until she swats your hand away and does it herself. She’s marked out little cellophane bags for everyone, little circular alfoil trays at the bottom to make it look pretty.

Saskia had made the first couple, but unwavering child patience grew thin so you’d finished the rest of them for her. 

“Should we make some for Aunty Haley?” Saskia asks as she divides up the cookies. 

“She’s already got a bag, Sweetheart,” you remind her. 

“And Jack.”

You nod, grabbing some leftover cellophane and making a new one. 

“Mom?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“Why didn’t we ever see Aunty Haley and Uncle Aaron? We’ve been home for a long time.” She scoops up icing and dollops it on top of the cookies. Her tongue darts out between her lips as she concentrates on spreading the icing evenly.

“That, my darling, is long and complicated,” you tell her, adding a red ribbon to Jack’s little bag.

“I don’t think it is, I just think you don’t want to talk about it.”

Very observant.

“Maybe.”

“That’s okay.” She leans down until her nose is almost pressed against the cookie. “Is it because you still felt like we needed to hide? Or because of Aiden?” she spits out your last fiance’s name like it’s poison. 

“Sweetie, you know it’s not Aiden’s fault. He wasn’t a bad guy, we just didn’t work out.”

“He made you sad.”

“In the end, yes. He did make me sad, but that’s just because feelings are messy.”

“He didn’t like my cookies.”

“I should’ve known then, shouldn’t I?”

“And he wasn’t very good at reading stories,” Saskia continues. “Or listening.”

“Alright, Sassy.”

“And he didn’t give very good hugs.”

“And we’re not making cookies for Aiden, you don’t have to worry about him.”

“Okay.” She counts out all the bags. “Can I come to work with you tomorrow morning? I can help you put these on everyone’s desks.”

“Sure.” 

***

“Finishing touches,” Saskia tells you as she fills the cookie bags with little heart shaped chocolates. 

“Any slower and we’re going to be late, and then you’re going to be late to school.”

“Maybe I want to be late for school.”

You scoop the bags into the basket Saskia filled with pink fabric and loop it over your arm, pointing Saskia to her bag. She huffs dramatically and swings it over her shoulder.

“Ready?” you ask her. She nods.

“Can I carry the basket?”

***

No one’s in the office yet. You’d dropped Haley and Jack’s cookies in their mailbox. You’d watched Haley wave from her bedroom window. Saskia had waved manically back. She’d texted you as you were pulling away, asking if you both wanted to spend the night with a good glass of wine.

Of course you do.

Garcia’s basket is left by her door. She’s not in yet and you’re not about to barge into her office. So you leave her with a little valentines card, drawn by Saskia. She’s covered most of them in glitter hearts. She swings off your arm as she hops down the hallway, telling you that if she wore a cape she’d be Little Red Riding Hood.

She places each cookie bundle carefully on everyone’s desk, organising them with their little cards. 

“Good morning,” Spencer greets. He’s got a book in one hand, coffee in the other, and looks quite chipper for someone at work so early.

“Spencie!” Saskia smiles, grabbing his packet of cookies and chocolates. “Mommy and I made them, these ones are for you.”

“For me?” he says, his voice hitching up a few octaves. “Thank-you, this is really nice. I’ve never had a valentines before.”

“You’ve never had a present on valentines day before?” Saskia asks, appalled.

“No, never.”

“These ones are really special. They’re made with lots of love. And they’ve got nice icing and chocolates. A rose and a heart.”

“This is really nice, thank-you,” Spencer repeats for the hundredth time. He rips the packaging open and bites into a cookie, looking very, very impressed with it. 

“How many more?” you ask Saskia, checking your watch. “It’s almost time for school.” You hold out your watch for her to look. 

“Oh no we’re almost late.” She hands you one of the cookie packets. “You do Uncle Aaron, I’ll do Uncle Dave.”

You push Aaron’s office door open, silently padding across the space and place the cookies on his desk.

“Hey,” he says from the door.

You jump, covering your mouth to stop whatever was going to come out from coming out.

“Hi, you have… uh… valentines cookies. From me and Sas.”

“Tradition,” he laughs. It’s the smallest laugh, hidden from the rest of the team. “Thanks. I, uh, didn’t… I didn’t get you anything.”

“You didn’t need to get me anything.”

“You got me cookies.”

“B-baked them, actually,” you correct. 

“Mom, late,” Saskia says. She tugs at your arm, waving goodbye to Aaron.

Aaron Hotchner does get you something. It’s the next day when you find them, no longer Valentines day, but a bouquet on your doorstep just the same. Bright yellow flowers, sitting there, welcoming you. 

Thank you for the cookies. Sorry i can’t cook.  
-Aaron 

And they sit on your kitchen counter until they wilt and die.


	2. Season Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~I love Saskia sm~

“Where are they?” 

Saskia’s throwing things around the kitchen, her body half stuck in the cupboard as she tries to reach the back of the cupboard. You drop the file you were working on, shoving it beneath a couple of books so she can’t pick it up by accident.

“Where’s what, Sweetheart?” 

“The cookie cutters! We have to make cookies for everyone. It's Valentines.” She says it like she’s offended you.

“They’re up here,” you tell her softly, reaching up to the top cupboard and bring down the Valentines box. Saskia made sure to stock it full of valentines themed things, including heart confetti. 

“Thanks.”

"Do you want some help?"

"No. I've got it all under control. But I might need your help when I'm doing the eggs because I keep putting the shells in."

"Okay." You kiss her hair and brush the back of your finger against her cheek. "Call me when you need me."

"Sure." You've barely sat down when she gasps. "Should I make some for Aunty Haley and Jack? Yes. Mom!"

"Sassy!" you respond as enthusiastically.

"Can I make Emily's roses black? Is that okay. She likes dark things."

"You can make them grey."

She claps excitedly. "Awesome!"

***

Saskia had made Spencer extra cookies because she was sad he’d never gotten Valentines, and she took it very seriously to make sure he got them again. Spencer was beyond grateful to get them once more, this time he’d come armed with Barbie-heart-shaped chocolates, which you’d had to remind her a thousand times not to eat them all at once.

You’re heading back into the bullpen, pockets full of chocolates, when you see the massive bouquet of flowers on your desk. A very Garcia thank-you if you’ve ever seen one, especially with all the flowers being a very large burst of colour. You smile, placing your bag beneath your desk as you trace your hands over the bouquet, taking in all the flowers. 

Flowers with large gaps at strange places, like they’re missing pieces.

“Hey,” Aaron says, coming up behind you. He pokes roses into the missing pieces.

“This is not your bouquet, Aaron Hotchner, leave your flowers out of it.”

“I know.” He chuckles into your ear, but all the same you know he’s looking out over the bullpen to make sure no one’s coming. Morgan rushes to his desk, gasping dramatically as Aaron steps away from you and picking up your wastepaper basket.

“I’ll see you later,” he murmurs, heading up to his office with your wastepaper basket in tow.

“Cookies again?” Morgan asks gleefully. He pulls the packet apart like he’s been waiting for them for a whole year. “These are incredible, you know?”

“Saskia says they’re incredible because they’re made with lots and lots of love.”

“Of course they are.”

“I’ve not seen flowers like that,” Emily says as she comes in, squeezing your shoulder. “Oh my god, did Saskia make my rose black?!” she says gleefully, ripping her bag open.

“When Garcia orders those flowers they are always lilies in the spots those roses are,” Spencer adds. 

You glance up to Aaron’s office, where he’s transferring something out of your waste paper basket. 

The lilies. Bless him.

“Garcia must have remembered you don’t have a good history with lilies.”

“She must’ve,” you smirk.

***

“Someone’s here,” Saskia hisses from where she should be asleep. You poke her door open, frowning at her as she’s perched up in her bed, looking out her window.

“You should be asleep, little miss.”

“I know but I ate all the chocolates when you told me not to.”

“Okay, under the covers,” you smile, switching on her galaxy night light. She nods, pulling her curtains shut and she burrows herself under her blankets. “Did you have a good day?”

“Mhmm.” She grabs up her toys and surrounds herself with them.”Did you?”

“Yes I did, Sweets. Now sleep, and I’ll see you in the morning. No more getting up to look through the window, okay? It’s late.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Seconds later there were two quick knocks on the door, and Saskia giggled from beneath her covers.

“I know who it is,” Saskia teases. 

“Sleep, Miss Sassy.”

You open the front door, holding Saskia’s door closed which makes her laugh.

“Hi Aaron.” You smile at him. He’s changed into a… casual suit, which you’re sure is just him taking off his tie and throwing it into the back seat.

“Hey, I brought you these.” He holds out a bouquet of roses, cheeks flushed. 

“They’re… they’re beautiful, Aar. Thank you.” 

“They’re beautiful, Aar,” Saskia teases from inside her room. You roll your eyes.

“Do you want to come in? We’ve got leftover cookies, nothing much by the way of dinner, though, I was just about to make something.”

“I bought Turkish,” he says a little hopefully. He holds up the bag. “With Saskia’s favourite for tomorrow,” he adds a little louder.

“Yessss.”

“Sleep, Sassy.”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to come in?” You repeat, stepping out the way so Aaron can enter. He nods, kicking his shoes off inside your door. “You know where the kitchen is.”

He’s mostly down the hallway when he stops, backtracking to you where you’re trying to lock the door while Saskia’s ‘ooo’ing and ‘ahhh’ing from inside her room.

“Forgot something,” he says and you nod, unlocking the door and opening it for him.

“Go for it.”

But he grabs the back of your head and kisses you softly, wrapping his arms around you as he closes the door and miraculously locking it despite all your efforts. 

“Happy Valentines Day,” he whispers against your lips. 

“It’s very happy,” you whisper back, smiling as he laces his fingers with yours. “I know what you did with Garcia’s flowers. Thank you.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“I can think of a few more things you can be good for,” you tell him as he tugs you towards the kitchen.

“None of them are any good if Saskia’s awake,” he chuckles.

Yeah, he’s right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~tomorrow we get the last two chapters. And, and, an alternate reality of Quiet Birds where Mom and Emily got together instead of Hotch and mom for some Valentines goodies~.


	3. Season Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Mom and Haley's last Valentines Together 

This was a valentines day you thought you’d do well to forget. A case that just came out of the blue, Foyet still looming over your heads. A case that dragged Aaron out of bed, Saskia replacing his spot on the mattress. She talks quietly enough that you don’t quite wake, but you’re aware of her constant chattering.

A valentines that felt foreboding, no matter how many smiles the team had when Saskia handed out her cookies. A valentines that just felt… wrong.

Three quick knocks on the door.

Haley answers it with a curious tilt of her head, Jack hanging off her arm. 

“Saskia made cookies,” you tell her like it’s not tradition at this point.

“Do you want to go to breakfast?” Haley asks hopefully. “Work said I wasn’t needed, and Jack doesn’t want to go to daycare.”

“Do you want me to…?” you say, holding out your arms. Jack launches himself at you, squealing happily as you swing him around. 

“Thank-you,” Haley breathes. “Come in, I’ve just got to get my bag.”

Jack takes fistfuls of your hair, tugging at them lightly.

“You don’t want to go to daycare?” you tutt and Jack shakes his head with a big grin on his face. “You’ve got to be good for Mom, okay? I think she’s a little stressed.” 

Jack nods. “She’s doing a lot.”

He doesn’t elaborate further, children never do. 

Haley’s practically bathing in the sun, enjoying the few kid-free moments she had. Jack’s sitting in your lap, munching on the cookie that came with Haley’s coffee. 

“How’re you doing?” you ask as Jack takes a handful of your shirt and rubs his cookie all over it.

“I’m wishing my coffee came with chocolate.”

“And?” 

“This is hard.” She sighs and puts her coffee down. “Parenting, I mean. And dating at the same time, when are you supposed to say ‘I’ve got a kid at home’?”

“Preferably never,” you snort. “Men are fickle.”

“You have no grounds to stand on, you married my ex husband.” 

“Yeah. Sorry about that.”

“He’ll probably forget it’s Valentines day and come running home with gas station flowers.”

You snort. “Probably. I would forget too if it wasn’t for Saskia count down on the calendar.”

“She’s too cute.”

Jack wiggles in your lap and reaches out for your drink. You chuckle, pulling him back to you and tutting to yourself quietly. 

“That’s hot, Jack.”

He pouts at you, looking too much like Aaron, and you grab his babycino to make up for it. He takes it happily and greedily.

“Words, Jack,” Haley says quickly.

“Thank-you,” Jack says sweetly, batting his eyelashes at you.

“You’re most welcome, Jack.”

“You’re good with Jack,” Haley says softly. It’s not pushing anything, but it’s definitely enquiring as to where things are on the front.

“That’s because he’s yours, and I love him for it.”

Jack smiles brightly. 

“Are you planning to add to our little growing group?” Haley prods. You ignored her, letting Jack turn your engagment ring around your finger.

“The universe says no. My heart...” (you pull a face at Jack as he looks up at you with those big, gorgeous eyes) “that says yeah.”

“You can always share Jack,” Haley offers.

“Jack, can I share you with Mom and Dad?” you laugh, nuzzling his cheek.

“Yes,” Jack says excitedly. 

“I can share Jack,” you confirm.

***

“Is Sas?” Aaron asks, pointing down the hallway.

“Already asleep? Yeah. We had milkshakes with Haley and Jack.”

“Nice.” He grins and kisses you softly before shaking his shoulders like his suit is offending his skin.

“Saskia saved you some little heart candy from school.”

“Nice, I love that stuff.” He shakes his jacket off, throws it over the back of the couch, and toes his shoes. “I got you something too.”

“What? Aaron, I didn’t get you anything and you already sent flowers.”

“Mm, get up, come here,” he grins at you, shedding his tie. 

“What are you doing?” you laugh as he twirls you and pulls you into him.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” he murmurs. “I’m cashing one in.”

He hands you a ticket from a gag gift Emily had given her ‘cold and stern boss’ for Christmas. He looks too gleeful as you unfold it.

“One strip tease?” you laugh. 

“Don’t laugh, I’m serious,” he says in faux hurt. 

“If I do this, you have to take all the little pieces of your suit, put them back on, and return the favour.”

“Deal.”


	4. Season Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> only short

“Good morning,” Aaron says into your neck, an arm and leg lazily thrown over you.

“Morning,” you grumble, not entirely pleased at the hour he’s woken you at. 

“Alright Mrs. Grumpypants, taste.” He hold his finger up to your lip and without thinking, taste it. “It’s good, hey?”

“What is that?” you frown, waking up just that little bit more.

“Icing.”

“Why? Aaron it’s five in the morning.”

“Seven, Babe,” Aaron corrects.

“You let me sleep in?” 

“Mhmm.” He squeezes you softly. “Saski and Jack are ready for school, although I don’t think the house is ready for anyone to leave.”

“What does that mean?”

Aaron pries you out of bed, tiptoeing down the hallway on Aaron’s request, and looking into the kitchen. 

Saskia’s got Jack in one of Aaron’s aprons, he’s kneeling on a chair. Saskia’s icing her hearts a lot slower than usual, watching Jack and leaning over to help him. She’s got icing all over her face and in her hair, and on the sleeves of her school sweater. 

“I tried to save her uniform but she insisted,” Aaron whispers, wrapping his arms around you and kissing your shoulder. “She said it was more time with Jack.”

Jack lifts his cookie and shows Saskia, who gasps and holds out her hand for Jack to high-five her.

“They’re good kids,” Aaron whispers. 

“Of course they are, they’re the best parts of us.” 

***

You know exactly what you’re doing when you sneak into the office. Aaron’s made a habit of getting you flowers every Valentine and you’ve yet to return the favour. Garcia texted you fifteen minutes ago to say Hotch is in a meeting for an hour.

“This is a horrible idea,” Garcia laughs as you fill every available space with flowers. You’ve already shoved origami roses into his draws (from Saskia, of course).

“It is, isn’t it?” you laugh, putting the final touches into his office.

“I got something else,” Morgan says, handing you a box of what should be roses but they’re definitely not.

“An edible arrangement?” you smile, putting it at the center of his desk. 

“Man, Hotch went apeshit over these a couple of years ago,” Morgan grins. “Talked about them for weeks.”

“Good to know.”

“Guys!” comes a hiss from the bullpen and you’re all running out of his office. You don’t quite make it, standing in his doorway as he thumbs through a file and tries to say something to Strauss.

“It might be a bit of a… mess,” you say to Erin, stepping out the way to let Aaron into his office. “Would you like a Valentine cookie? Jack and Saskia made them.”

You open the tupperware box and hold it out to her. She looks like she might say no thanks, but then temptation gets better of her and she grabs one of the roses Saskia dedicated her morning to.

Aaron kisses your cheek, making you jump, and hands you a single rose.

“My office looks like a funeral home,” Aaron says smugly. 

“Funeral homes don’t have edible arrangements.” 

“Not fruit ones anyway,” Aaron says. He’s taken one of the fruit-flowers already, munching on it quite contently like he’s a kid anyway.

“Those are from Morgan,” you tell him.

“Is it unprofessional to divorce your wife and marry your agent?”

“Yes,” Erin says. 

“Can I change your mind with a fruit skewer?” he says hopefully. Erin looks remarkably surprised, then shrugs.

“I suppose.”

“Happy Valentines Day, Erin,” you smile, giving her another cookie as Aaron beckons her into his office. “Feel free to take some flowers, too. I can’t fit them all in my car, we had most of them sent in from separate florists.”

“Thank-you,” Erin says. She looks like she might be on the verge of tears. “This means a lot.”

You don’t have time to process it because Spencer comes flying up to you and grabs the container of cookies. 

“Saskia said I can have these,” he says gleefully. 

“I don’t think she did,” you laugh.

“She did not,” Aaron agrees. 

Erin just shakes her head and smiles. Not something you'd expected from her at all.

“Happy Valentines day.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~the end~~ I hope you all enjoyed this little valentines diversion. the emily prentiss love will have to come tomorrow as a late present.


End file.
